A career in project management comprises a wide range of activities that might range from the release of a new software product to the development of an interactive app for a customer, among other things. The job description might range from devising a new corporate strategy to creating new consumer products.
The work of a project manager is both challenging and extremely rewarding.
Project managers earn an average yearly salary of $105,239, according to Paysa, a career website that provides job listings. Similar employment in the US pays $98,038 annually, while jobs in Australia and Switzerland pay $113,918.
A career in project management necessitates the acquisition of a diverse set of skills and competencies. Learning new technology and developing innovative thinking are only two of the many talents that a project manager acquires.
Who is a Product Manager
Product managers play a key role in steering companies toward making decisions regarding the products they offer; therefore, they must first gain a thorough understanding of those products and the influence they have on their target audience. To provide a vision of products that would suit customers’ expectations, they invest a lot of time researching the competitors and market conditions.
Certification Needed to Become a Project Manager
Aside from having a bachelor degree in related disciplines such as Marketing, Business Management, Public relation, or other fields of study, which will serve as a good foundation, the best plan of action is to begin by acquiring a thorough understanding of the profession by enrolling in several free online product management courses. Understanding the role from a theoretical standpoint might assist you in determining if it is the best path for you.
Product management certifications can also be earned through paid online courses. Although there is no formal certification needed to become a product manager, any experience you can get would be beneficial. Another option is to seek an internship in an organization, which will allow you to polish your skills while gaining valuable experience.
7 Free Project Management Online Courses
This collection of free project management online courses will equip you with the knowledge and abilities to acquire the right skills needed to become a project manager that will play a key role in steering companies toward making decisions regarding the products they offer.
1. Introduction to Software Product Management
This course will teach you the importance of managing software products efficiently. The course discusses the importance of methodology, specifications, organization, and monitoring in the development of high-quality software. Furthermore, it also gives an overview of the specialism and its objectives, structure, and expectations.
Offered By: University of Alberta
Learning Platform: Coursera
Course Duration: 5hrs
Certificate: Yes
Cost: Free
2. Project Management Principles and Practices Specialization
The University of California offers this course to equip you with a solid understanding of the fundamentals of project management, which you will be able to apply to your work tasks right away. In this course, students will identify and manage the product scope, design a work breakdown structure, create a project plan, create a project budget, define and allocate resources and grasp the project procurement activities. At the end of the course, you will understand how to identify and control the product scope, construct a project schedule, create a project plan, make a cost estimate, and determine the resources needed to complete it.
Offered By: UCI Division of Continue Education
Platform: Coursera
Level: Beginner
Course Duration: 5 Months
Certificate: Yes, upon payment
3. Digital Product Management Specialization
This course is aimed at both existing and upcoming product managers operating in the digital space who wish to apply a spectrum of modern techniques to developing their teams and products. In five classes, you’ll learn about product design, hypothesis-driven design, and agile.
Offered By: University of Virginia
Platform: Coursera
Course Duration: 5 Months
Certificate: Yes, upon Payment
Cost: Free
Level: Beginner
3. Brand and Product Management
The Brand and Product Management course offered by IE Business School is a one-of-a-kind program that teaches you how to first grasp the value of brand and product management and then how to use brand development, architecture, and portfolios to achieve success. By the end of the course, you would recognize what key information is required to establish a long-term value product and brand plan.
Offered By: IE Business School
Platform: Coursera
Course Duration: 14hrs
Certificate: Yes, upon Payment
Cost: Free
Level: Beginner
4. Product Design
This course is designed to help you bring your game-changing idea to life and turn it into a product you can sell. This Project Design course put together by Google will equip you with everything needed to bring your ideas into sellable products.
Offered By: Google
Platform: Udacity
Course Duration: 2 Months
Certificate: No
Cost: Free
Level: Intermediate
5. Product Masterclass: How to Build Digital Products
Put together by Product School, a leading Tech Online Business School, this course aims to educate and inspire product managers worldwide to assist you in landing your dream product management position. This course condenses five of Product School’s most popular products seminars by top industry leaders into a single crash course. Enroll to learn from these industry experts.
Offered By: Product School
Platform: Product School Learning Portal
Course Duration: 14hrs
Certificate: Yes
Cost: Free
6. Becoming A More Strategic Product Manager
As a product manager, you will benefit from this course because it will help you become more strategic. You’ll learn how to maximize your influence on your organization’s ultimate product portfolio by saying “yes” to the right projects.
By the end of this course, you would have learned how to Balance between Strategic and Tactical work, Research and analyze Customer Needs, as well as Product Discovery and Delivery.
Offered By: HighBrow
Learning Platform: HighBrow Learning Portal
Course Duration: 10 Days
Certificate: None
Cost: Free
What Next after this? Make sure you embark on hands-on projects that will help strengthen your acquired skills and add to your portfolio. You should also find an organization to undergo an internship. This will you learn on the job and also gain relevant knowledge and experience you will need to lead a team of other professionals to achieve your client’s or employer’s goal.
